Gruesome
/ˈɡruːsəm/noun
Causing horror or disgust; shockingly ugly or grisly.
Did you know?The word is historically linked to Middle English **grue**, meaning to shudder or feel horror, so ‘gruesome’ literally grew out of the body’s reaction to dread.
Etymological Timeline
Old English / Middle English
English
gruen
“To shudder, tremble, or feel horror.”
Middle English
English
grue
“A feeling of horror or shuddering dread.”
Late Middle English
English
gruesome
“Causing horror; dreadful to behold.”
Modern English
English
gruesome
“Extremely unpleasant, horrifying, or grisly.”